Nick and Christian finally arrived at the Saltano residence, the weight of their fruitless search hanging heavy between them. As they approached the front door, it swung open to reveal Mary Saltano. The sight of her nearly stopped Nick in his tracks. In the short time since Rose's death, Mary seemed to have aged a decade. Her hair hung limp and lifeless, so dirty it resembled straw more than human hair. Her black loungewear, clearly unwashed for days, hung loosely on her frame. But it was her eyes that truly gave Nick pause – red-rimmed and swollen from endless tears, they seemed to bore into him with a single, desperate question:

"Have you found the killer?"

The raw anguish in her voice cut through Nick like a knife. He felt the full weight of their lack of progress, knowing he had little of substance to offer this grieving mother.

"Hello, Mary," Nick began, his voice gentle. "We're doing everything in our power, but I'm afraid we don't have any definitive answers yet. What we do know is that Bradley Force was likely the last person to see Rose alive. We have a witness who saw them together at the Green Vault bar. There seems to have been some kind of argument between them. We're trying to locate Bradley now, but it appears he and his friend Steven are no longer living at their known addresses."

Nick watched Mary carefully as he spoke, noting how she seemed to sway slightly on her feet, as if the weight of her grief might topple her at any moment. His heart ached for her, knowing all too well the inadequacy of his words in the face of such profound loss.

As Nick finished speaking, Jeffrey appeared behind Mary, dressed in his sheriff's uniform. From his expression, it was clear he had overheard everything. Without a word, he ushered the detectives into the living room. Christian's eyes widened slightly as he took in the garish red wallpaper, a stark contrast to the somber mood permeating the house. Nick, however, had eyes only for Mary, overwhelmed by the depth of her suffering. "God, you wouldn't wish this on your worst enemy," he thought to himself.

Jeffrey, barely containing his rage, began pacing the living room, muttering unintelligibly under his breath. Mary sank onto the couch, her head bowed, a picture of silent despair. Nick took a seat beside her, while Christian stood awkwardly at the entrance to the living room.

"Mary," Nick began gently, "can you tell me about Rose's relationship with Bradley?"

At the question, Mary's composure crumbled entirely. She buried her face in her hands, her body wracked with sobs as guilt seemed to consume her. Jeffrey, in stark contrast, erupted in a shout that echoed through the house:

"Our daughter had nothing to do with that loser! They were just classmates, nothing more! I forbade her to associate with those two good-for-nothings. I told her they weren't her equals!"

"Jeffrey," Christian interjected, his voice calm but firm, "if that's the case, why was Rose with Bradley at the bar? Our witness reports an argument between them, followed by some kind of physical altercation."

Before Jeffrey could respond, Mary's voice cut through the tension, quiet but clear:

"Rose told me that Bradley had been persistently trying to court her. He'd been chasing after her since their school days, but Rose never reciprocated his feelings. I… I don't understand why she was with him that evening."

Jeffrey collapsed into an armchair opposite the couch, looking as if he'd been physically struck by this revelation.

"What? Why the hell didn't you tell me any of this before, Mary?" he snarled, his face contorting with a mixture of anger and betrayal. "I would have dealt with that punk long ago!"